MTA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We've divided the FAQs into five categories to make it easier for you to search.
If you can't find what you're looking please get in touch with us directly via our contact form.

About MTA

1/ What is the MTA and why should I join?

The Mountain Training Association (MTA) is a membership organisation set up by Mountain Training in 2005 to support people working towards their qualifications and develop people who already have them. Now well established with over 5,000 members it is the nationally recognised membership organisation for climbing, walking and mountain leaders in the UK and Ireland.

Whether you're planning to attend a training course, have got your assessment coming up, already work/volunteer in the outdoor industry, or just want to stay informed, in touch and up to date, the Mountain Training Association has something for you; supporting you through your qualification journey and for the rest of your outdoor career.

1/ Who is eligible to become a member of MTA?

2/ How do I become a member/renew my membership?

The easiest and quickest way to become an MTA member or renew your annual membership is via your online Candidate Management System (CMS) account. Simply log-in to your CMS account and make an online payment in your Membership tab. You can also join and renew by direct debit too, saving you some time and hassle when your membership is due for renewal.

If your membership is due for renewal you will also receive a friendly reminder from us one month before the renewal date, giving you plenty of time to renew before your membership expires.

3/ Do I have to become a member of MTA before I can register onto a Mountain Training scheme? Is it a compulsory membership?

You do not have to become a member of MTA when registering for a Mountain Training qualification. It is not compulsory to be a member of MTA, but there are many benefits to membership.

To pursue an award scheme the compulsory stages you must complete in the beginning are as follows:

1. Set up a free CMS account with Mountain Training
2. Become a member of a Mountaineering Council and pay a membership fee to your chosen Council
3. Register onto the Mountain Training scheme of your choice and pay a registration fee

4/ I have registered onto the Hill & Mountain Skills scheme. Can I become a member of MTA?

No, if you wish to join MTA you need to be registered onto an award scheme. We hope candidates who register for Hill & Mountain skills will in the future choose to undergo an award scheme at which point they will become eligible to join.

5/ What happens when I become an MTA member?

As soon as you pay for your membership you will receive a confirmation email and instant access to your membership benefits.

A membership card and letter will also arrive by post - please allow up to two weeks for this to arrive.

6/ Will my MTA card display a picture of me?

Yes, the picture on your MTA card is directly linked to the picture in your CMS account, so choose your CMS Profile picture wisely! We recommend a professional close up head shot.

7/ I was expecting to receive an MTA badge when I got my MTA card through the post. Is this not the case?

MTA badges are available to full MTA members and are an optional extra that can be purchased online via the ‘SHOP’ tab of your CMS account. We have a range of MTA merchandise available so feel free to browse at your leisure. Visit the shop.

8/ I have renewed my membership a few weeks/months before its actual renewal date, why haven’t I received a new card yet?

Your card will be sent out shortly after your renewal date, not before so please be patient.

7/ I have completed an award this year since receiving my MTA card. Will I automatically receive a new card to reflect the changes?

MTA cards are sent out once a year shortly after the renewal date and the information on the card will reflect what is in your CMS account at the time.

We can supply an updated card on request before your renewal date. There is a small administration and printing charge for this. First, ensure that your new qualification is clearly visible in your CMS account, then order a new card in the online shop.

8/ How can I contact MTA?

1/ Can I renew my MTA membership by direct debit through CMS?

Yes, it is now possible to renew/pay for your MTA membership automatically by direct debit through your Mountain Training CMS account.

Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to set up your direct debit.

2/ How will the direct debit work? When will money be taken from my account once I have set up my direct debit?

When you decide to set up a direct debit for the first time money will be taken from your account straight away and a new MTA card will arrive in the post with an updated expiry date.

Please bear this in mind if you choose to set up your direct debit several months before your MTA membership is due to expire. For example, if your membership is due to expire in November and you choose to set up your direct debit early in July, money will be taken from your account in July for next year’s membership and you will receive a new card with an expiry date of November next year. Don’t worry if you have done this, you will not lose out on membership months. You’ve just been very organised! To keep things simple, we would recommend waiting until your MTA membership is due for renewal before you set up your direct debit.

This will only apply in the first year that you create your direct debit. From then on, when your membership is due for renewal, payment will automatically be taken from your account one month before your membership is due to expire. You will also receive an email notification before we take payment.

The system will make three attempts to take this payment. If it fails three times, your membership will be removed from the system and you will need to set up a new direct debit or pay by card.

3/ What happens to my direct debit if the price of MTA membership changes at some point in the future?

Don't worry, we will inform all MTA members of any price changes in advance of the change being made. This will be included in the notification email that you will receive prior to your direct debit payment being taken.

4/ In the past I have paid for my MTA membership by direct debit through the BMC. Can I still do this?

No, to improve the efficiency of the payment process and ensure that you get instant access to your membership benefits, we've changed this renewal process.

From 1st September 2018 onwards, the next time you renew your MTA membership you need to do it with us at MTA, directly through your online Mountain Training account.

Don't panic - You don't need to do anything until your membership is due for renewal and you will receive an automated renewal email from us telling you how you can pay and/or set up a direct debit.

5/ I don't want to renew my MTA membership. Do I need to do anything?

If you have not set up a direct debit for your MTA membership in the past then you don't need to do anything. You will receive several automated emails informing you that your membership is due for renewal soon. If you don't want to renew, simply ignore these emails. You will then receive a final email from us notifying you that your memberhip has expired.

If you have set up a direct debit via the Mountain Training CMS account, make sure that you log in and cancel your direct debit.

Similarly, if you have set up a direct debit with the BMC to annually renew your MTA membership please contact the BMC directly to cancel it.

Benefits

1/ How do I access the Members Area and view the gear deals/discounts that are available to me?

There are several ways to access the MTA Members Area.

You can log into the members area via the Members Area header at the very top of the Association website or log into your Mountain Training (CMS) account, click your username and select the Membership Tools option from the drop-down menu. Once in the Members Area you can view the wide range of discounts and offers available to you.

Click below for guidance:

step-by-step guide

2/ As an MTA member how can I access the Facebook group?

The member-led Facebook group can be accessed by searching for the Mountain Training Association group in Facebook. You need to request to join the group and your request will be approved within afew days (if you are a valid MTA member).

3/ What is the ‘Find A Leader’ facility?

Full MTA members have the opportunity to advertise themselves as a Leader on the Mountain Training website via the 'Find A leader' facility. This tool typically displays your name, picture and the awards that you currently hold, plus more if you wish. The public can then view your profile in more detail and contact you directly to make an enquiry.

To be a part of this facility you must be a full member and must actively sign up to the ‘Find A leader’ function by manually ticking the ‘Listed’ box in the Memberships tab of your CMS account.

4/ How can I amend my 'Find A Leader' public profile?

5/ I joined MTA as soon I registered onto a scheme, but I don't have the option to appear in the 'Find A Leader' search on your website. Why is this?

If you join MTA as soon as you register onto a scheme you will be a Trainee member, as you are in the training phase of your award and have not yet achieved an accreditation.

As soon as you pass an award, you will be granted FULL membership giving you access to additional benefits, including the ability to accumulate CPD points and feature in the ‘Find A Leader’ facility of the Mountain Training website. In the meantime, please enjoy the range of benefits that are still accessible to you as a Trainee, including gear deals and access to the MTA member-only Facebook group.

6/ How can I access the discounted insurance offering?

Full members have access to specially negotiated civil liability insurance. In 2017 we reviewed and updated this offering. This specially negotiated scheme, Ascend Insurance (from Lockton's) offers full members of the association a bespoke policy to provide different levels of cover based on their Mountain Training qualification(s) and turnover. Members benefit from a low-cost insurance premium because of their good safety record. Full details about the scheme can be found in the MTA Members Area.

7/ Can I use/display the MTA logo and buy branded merchandise?

If you are a full member you can use the official association logo to promote yourself and your business. You can also purchase a number of MTA branded items in the online shop, to wear with pride out in the hills and at crags.

You can access the logo and the guidelines of its use in the Members Area
via your CMS account.

8/ What are Premium features?

Association members have instant access to extra features and functions within your online Mountain Training account, known as 'Premium features', allowing you to do more. Add more photos to your DLOG, tag your friends in DLOG entries, create logs from multiple GPX files in one go and find new walking routes, plus much more.

If you're already an MTA member, have a browse through all of the premium features on offer by clicking on the 'Premium' header in the top right hand corner in your online Mountain Training account (next to your username).

10/ How do I access the Jobs & Opportunities page? Can I advertise a job here?

11/ I'm not receiving my monthly MTA e-newsletter - why is this?

E-newsletters are sent out to all MTA members towards the end of each month (typically on a Friday). If you haven't received a monthly e-newsletter please check that the email address in your Mountain Training account is correct and up to date. It's possible that our emails might find their way into your junk/clutter folders so please check there too and add us to your safe list.

1/ What is the purpose of the MTA regional groups?

Regional groups have been set up across the UK to enable members to get together locally to undertake peer led training, share good practice and socialise with other outdoor trainees and leaders. We recognise that our members have a wealth of knowledge and experience and we're keen to create as many opportunities around the UK as possible to bring them together to help each other and facilitate the sharing and exchange of their skills and expertise; members helping members.

Full members can support those under going training and consolidation as a form of mentoring and trainee members have an opportunity to get together to gain personal experience prior to assessment.

2/ Who is my local regional coordinator?

Each regional group has a coordinator who has kindly volunteered their time to take on the responsibility of organising and sourcing local Continued Personal Development (CPD) opportunities for members. These events are chances for members to get together, gain valuable personal experience, practice skills, share ideas and socialise with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.

3/ How do I find out what's going on in my region?

There are a number of ways to find out what's going on in your region (or any other for that matter):

Browse the MTA workshop programme - filter by date, location and make sure you click on the purple MTA logo to search for workshops applicable to members of the association. Most of the regional events are free to attend or run at a very low cost to members.

4/ Can I attend a regional group in a different part of the country to where I live?

Absolutely! Regional groups are designed to facilitate peer-led learning opportunities. If you’re visiting a region and you fancy joining a workshop or social climbing evening you’re more than welcome.

5/ Are there any volunteering opportunities within MTA, and if so, how can I get involved?

There may be opportunities for you to get involved with a regional group, local to you:

1. Become a regional coordinator

As the membership continues to grow and the spread of members changes, we are open to creating more regional groups across the UK where there is demand/need, producing more local communities of support within the wider MTA community and giving members better access to CPD and peer events on their doorsteps.

Has some free time to devote to organising/hosting events to support local members - socials, peer events, free talks/lectures etc

Current MTA member (desirable)

Friendly, sociable, likes meeting lots of new people

Good organisational skills

Familiar with social media (desirable, not essential)

2. Become a support volunteer

If you're interested in volunteering in some capacity but you're not sure you want to take on the position of a regional coordinator, why not apply to be a support volunteer in your region instead? Support volunteers exist to provide a little bit of help to the regional coordinator throughout the year; organising some events and perhaps hosting some meet-ups at venues near you, to share the load and reduce the amount of travel for the regional coordinators.

3. Run free events for members

If you're interested in running a one-off CPD event in your area for MTA members for free or at a small charge please contact your regional coordinator.

CPD & workshops

1/ What does CPD stand for and why do I need it?

CPD stands for Continued Personal Development and is the means by which members maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required when using their awards. Mountain Training believes that this process is vital for all members, whether working full time in the outdoors or using the awards in a voluntary capacity.

Promoting and developing a robust CPD culture raises the profile of the association and allows us to confidently promote our members to potential employees, organisations and the public. It's also a great asset for a professional CV and highlights your dedication to enhancing your skills and knowledge.

2/ When do I need to start earning CPD points? How many points do I need?

Members commit to gaining 2 CPD points within a 5 year period after they have completed their first Mountain Training qualification. Full MTA members should:

Complete 20 days of personal or group leading/supervision experience, ideally a mix of both.

Hold a current first aid certificate.

Gain 2 credit points from a variety of accredited CPD experiences.

Record your CPD online in the Candidate Management System.

If you have not yet passed an assessment and are currently a trainee member of the Mountain Training Association you will not accummulate CPD points as there is no mandatory requirement for you to do CPD. However, if you have done some CPD it is still of great value and can be recorded in your CPD tab (without points being assigned).

3/ How can I find out how many CPD points I already have?

You can check your CPD record by logging in to your CMS account and clicking on the CPD tab. If you've opted to use the new-look version of CMS then you just need to click on the tab called 'Awards & Training' and then click on the CPD records header. Log in to your account here.

Don't panic - If you need support logging in to your CMS account or finding your way to your CPD record please don't hesitate to call 01690 720272 or email.

4/ How do I update/add to my CPD record?

Attendance at official MTA workshops advertised through CMS are automatically recorded in the Training tab of your CMS account and your CPD points will be added on without you having to do anything. If this doesn’t happen within two weeks of attending the workshop, please get in touch with the workshop provider.

You can add all other externally recognised/accredited CPD to your CPD record yourself. Simply log into your CMS account, find the CPD tab and select the relevant course/s that you have attended from the drop-down menu.

For detailed guidance on how to manually add CPD to your record click here.

5/ How do I find a CPD workshop?

We have a diverse programme of workshops, conferences and regional events planned throughout the year, providing opportunities to update, refresh and enhance your skills. The programme is varied and ranges from navigation, steep ground and leadership masterclasses, to climbing coaching, geology and environmental sessions.

Find out what's coming up on the programme and get a detailed insight into each of the workshops here. Filter by date, location and make sure you click on the purple MTA logo to search for workshops applicable to members of the association.

6/ Are there others ways to acquire CPD?

You also have the option to attend a workshop/course hosted by another organisation that MTA recognises and credits as CPD and you need to record these manually in your account.

These include courses run by organisations such as DofE, NICAS, NNAS, Girlguiding, Institute for Outdoor Learning as well as employers in-house training and Mountain Rescue training. The association also recognises some Mountaineering Council symposiums, coaching events and conferences as well as a selection of events run by charitable organisations focused on environmental conservation relevant to the Mountain Training awards.

If you're not sure if an external course has been accredited as CPD for MTA members, please check the CPD category list in CMS first. If you're still unsure, send us an email.

7/ How can I check if a course counts as CPD?

If you're not sure if an external course has been accredited as CPD for MTA members, please check the 'Approved CPD Courses and events' list that can be downloaded from the MTA Members Area. Alternatively, you can also browse the CPD category list in the CPD section of your CMS account. If you're still unsure, send us an email.

If you have a CPD entry that has no points attached to it, it is likely that it is not currently recognised as CPD by the association. If this is the case, please delete the entry.

8/ I have just done a training course for one of the Mountain Training qualifications. Does this course count towards my CPD?

Training courses for a second or third scheme count as CPD after the first assessment has been passed. For example, if you pass the Mountain Leader award and subsequently attend a Winter Mountain Leader training, this counts as CPD as you can record it manually in your CPD record.

9/ An MTA workshop that I have attended is not visible in my CPD record of my CMS account and my CPD points haven't been added to my record. What do I need to do?

Workshops scheduled specifically by MTA will be automaticlly updated in your CMS account, so please be patient. The provider running the workshop will update and submit the workshop in due course. Please allow some time for this.

If you have been waiting more than two weeks for your MTA workshop to appear in your CMS record please contact the workshop provider using the contact details contained in the workshop in your CMS account.

10/ Some of the workshops I have attended have a tick next to them. What does this mean?

If you've attended a MTA CPD workshop that has been advertised and run as part of the MTA workshop programme, when it appears in your CPD record, it will have a 'verified tick' next to it. Those that are added manually yourself won’t appear in your record with a verified tick because these sessions/events are provided by an external organisation that MTA don’t have any quality assurance over. While we recognise these particular courses as CPD we don’t verify them. The bottom line is it still counts CPD.